Liner attachment



Nov. 19, 1957 c. c. LASSEN, JR

LINER ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 5, 1954 INVENTOR.

CARL C. LASSEN JR.

Nov. 19, 1957 c. c. LASSEN, JR

LINER ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 5, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4

FIG. 5

FIG. 7

INVENTOR.

CARL C. LASS EN JR.

United States Patent LINER ATTACHMENT Carl C. Lassen, Jr., Stratford, Conn. Application January 5, 1954, Serial No. 402,339

3 Claims. 01. 191-113 This invention relates to tabulating machines and the like, and particularly to a new and improved line-making attachment for such machines.

It often occurs in the use of tabulating machines that reports requiring columnar-arranged data are extremely difficult to comprehend, particularly when the data often extend very closely to adjacent columns. More and more throughout industry, and particularly in production and accounting departments, great masses of data are required to be tabulated in periodic reports wherein the above difficulty of comprehension exists.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a removable attachment for tabulating machines and the like embodying a plurality of individually-adjustable line-making elements which will provide lines between successive columns of data, to thereby facilitate the comprehension of reports containing such data. Other objects of the invention include the provision of a liner attachment for a tabulating machine and the like wherein the line-making devices can be adjusted to provide any desired width of column, and such that all linemaking devices are resiliently urged into cooperating relationship with the report paper on which such data are to be tabulated; the provision of such an attachment in which a unitary structure is adapted pivotally to be mounted on a constructional feature of the tabulating machine and the like in such manner that gravity urges the line-making devices into cooperating relationship with the paper passing through the machine; the provision of such a liner attachment in which means is provided for adjusting the gravitational force of the line-making devices on the paper; and the provision of such a liner attachment for tabulating machines and the like in which a separate platen is adapted removably to be attached to a structural feature of the tabulating machine or the like when it is inconvenient for the line-making devices to engage the paper on the surface of the platen forming part of the tabulating machine.

The above, as well as other objects and novel features of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following specification and the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a portion of a tabulating machine to which the principles of the invention have been applied;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of one of the line-making devices and its support, forming a part of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of one of the adjusting devices for controlling the pressure of the line-making devices on the paper to which columnar data are being applied;

Fig. 4 is a view of an arm forming part of the apparatus.- of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a view of a bar for supporting the line-making elements;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the bar shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of an auxiliary platen forming part of the invention; and

Fig. 8 is an end view of the platen shown in Fig. 7 as viewed along line 8-8 in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 7.

Although the principles of the invention have been shown and will be described as applied to a tabulating machine, it is obvious that the attachment can, with equal facility, be applied to such apparatus as typewriters, calculating machines, and any such machine wherein demarcation between laterally-spaced columnar data is desired.

Referring to Fig. 1, a portion of a tabulating machine is shown and it includes a cover 10 adapted to house the intricate tabulating mechanism within the machine, and which mechanism forms no part of the present invention. Rearwardly of the cover 10, a platen mechanism 11 is provided and includes brackets 12 and 13 at opposite ends of a platen (not shown). Bars 14 and 15 are rigidly attached to and extend between brackets 12 and 13 and form part of the normal platen mechanism of the tabulating machine. Metallic guide plates 16 and 17 comprise conventional structure of the tabulating machine and they are adapted to guide the paper 18 on which the data are adapted to be printed. These guide plates 16 and 17 are adjustable to various widths to accommodate varying widths of paper for different types of reports. The structure so far described comprises the usual apparatus of well-known tabulating machines and it is believed that further specific description thereof is unnecessary to an understanding of the principles of the present invention.

Referring to Figs. 1, 5 and 6, a bar 19 adapted to extend throughout substantially the effective length of the platen of the tabulating machine is rigidly attached to identical arms 20 and 21. Referring to Fig. 4 wherein arm 20 is shown, it comprises an elongated member of rectangular cross-section to the rear end of which is fixed a resilient clip 22 by a screw 23. At the forward end of the arm 20, an aperture 24 is provided. A set screw having a wing head 25 is adapted to be threaded into the end of arm 20 so that it will pass into the opening 24 therein. The arm 21 is identical with the arm 20, and both may be of any desired length depending upon the structural characteristics of the tabulating machine to which the attachment is adapted to be applied. Additionally, more than one hole 24 may be provided along the arm 20 to accommodate various types of tabulating apparatus. The

arms 20 and 21 are mounted on each end of the bar 19- and the set screws 25 are turned until they cooperate with the cylindrical ends of the bar 19.

Individual supports 27 of identical construction comprise rectangularly-shaped members 28 (Fig. 2) having holes 29 therein. Set screws 30 are adapted to be screwed into one face of each rectangular member 28 in a manner to pass into the opening 29 therein. A passage 31 extends through the member 28 at right angles to the opening 29 and forwardly thereof.

A line-making device which in the present embodimen is in the form of a ball pen element 32 passes through the opening 31 within the member 28 and includes an abutment 33 at the end of the element 32 adjacent the ball point. A compression spring 34 is adapted to rest between the abutment 33 and one face of member 28. An eyelet 35 is adapted to be finger pressed onto the top of the tube element 32 to prevent the tube from falling out of the passage 31 when it is not supported on the platen of the tabulating machine. A plurality of the assemblies shown in Fig. 2 are arranged on the bar 19 in any predetermined axial adjusted position relatively to bar 19. They are fastened to the bar 19 by turning the set screws 30 in a manner to have them cooperate with a flat 26 on the bar 19 that does not extend to the ends of said bar.

This construction permits the accurate location of all sup- 7 ports 27 on bar 1'9 relatively to each other and still permits rotary adjustment of arms 20 and 21 to accommodate different constructional features of difierenttypes ofcalculati-ng machines and the like.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, two additional supports 36 are mounted on the rod 19 adjacent the arms 20 and 21. Referring to" Fig. 3, the support 36' includes a rectangularly-shaped body member 37 similar to the rectangularlyshaped member 28' of Fig. 2, and it is provided with an opening 38 therein for sli'din'gly receiving: the bar 19. It also includes a set screw 39 adapted tocooperate With the bar 19 in the same manner as the set screws 30 co operate with it. The only diflerence between the member 37 and the member 28 is that the passage 40' of. member 37 that corresponds to the passage 31 of member 28 is threaded to threadingly receive an adjusting element 41 having a tapered point 42 at the one end thereof.

Referring to Fig. 1, the support 36 is adapted to be adjusted along the bar 19 so" that the threaded adjusting pin 41 lies over a rigid element of the tabulating structure. In Fig. l, the threaded elements 41 are adapted to cooperate with the metallic guides 16 and 17 in a manner to adjust the pressure of the line-making devices 32 on the paper 18- within the tabulating machine.

When the construction of the tabulating machine or the like is such that it is inconvenient to arrange the line-making elements 32 to ride on the platen of the machine, an auxiliary platen 42 is adapted to be removably attached to a bar 15 or the like forming a conventional part of the platenconstruction of the tabulating machine. Theauxilary' platen is adapted to lie beneath the paper 18 in such position that it forms a support against which the line-making elements 32 are adapted to rest. Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, the auxiliary platen 42 comprises a relatively thin rectangularly-shaped body member which may extend throughout the length of the platen of the tabulat-i ing machine. On the'back of the member 42, a pair of resilient clips 43 is adapted to be fastened by nuts and bolts 44. The front of platen 42 may be provided with a layer of cushioning material, such as blotter material, to facilitate the optimum operation of the ball pens. The platen 42 is adapted resiliently to be attached to the bar 15 (Fig. l) as shown in dotted lines therein. Auxiliary platens 42 of different lengths may be employed depending upon the width of the paper 18 being used.

Although the various features of the improved linemaking attachment have been shown and described in detail to fully disclose one embodiment of the invention, it will be evident that numerous changes may be made in such details and certain features may be used without others without departing from the principles, of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tabulating machine or the like, a bar extending throughout the effective length of the platen of said machine; arms fixed to each end of said bar; resilient clips on said arms for removably and pivotally attaching said bar and arms to a constructional element of said tabulating machine; a plurality of supports mounted on said bar for adjustment axially therealong, but adapted to be fixed against rotative motion about said bar; a separate linemaking device mounted in each of said supports; and an auxiliary platen resiliently mounted on a constructional element of said tabulating machine in position for supporting said line-making devices.

2. In a tabulating machine or the like, a bar extending throughout the elfective length of the platen of said tabulating machine; arms fixed to each end of said bar; resilient clips on said arms for removably and pivotally attaching said bar and arms to a constructional element of said tabulating machine; a plurality of supports mounted on said bar for adjustment axially therealong, but adapted to be fixed against rotative motion about said bar; a separate line-making device mounted in each of said supports; means for resiliently urging each of said line-making devices away from its respective support; and an auxiliary platen element removably attached to a constructional element of said tabulating machine to support said line-making devices.

3. In a tabulating machine or the like, a bar extending throughout the effective length of the platen of said tabulating machine; arms fixed to each end of said bar; resilient clips on said arms for removably and pivotallyv attaching said bar and arms to a constructional bar of said tabulating machine that is parallel to said platen; a plurality of supports mounted on said bar for adjustment axially along said bar, but adapted to be fixed against rotation about said bar; a separate line-making device mounted in each of said supports; means for resiliently urging each of said line-making devices away from its respective support; an auxiliary platen resiliently attached to a constructional bar of said tabulating machine that is parallel to said platen; and additional means mounted on each end of said bar for adjusting the pressure of contact between said line-making devices and said auxiliary platen.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 845,234 Hays Feb. 26, 1907 1,808,257 Rottke June 2, 1931 2,516,623 Gillmor July 25, 1950 2,567,049 Belluche Sept. 4, 1951 

